


paint me in trust

by unusannus



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Best Friends, Comfort, Confessions, Fluff, Gen, and deserved more screen time, emphasis on friendship, korrasami ftw, they are my faves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:07:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26727172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unusannus/pseuds/unusannus
Summary: Bolin visits Asami and finds out what’s been getting her down.
Relationships: Bolin & Asami Sato, mentioned korra/asami
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	paint me in trust

**Author's Note:**

> these two are my favorites from lok and i wished they had more screen time just being buddies so i did it myself.

Bolin huffs as he arrives at the steps of the Sato Estate, or, as he prefers to call it: Asami’s place. He was in a hurry to return some blueprints she had lent him to help the Metal Clan make adjustments to their older suit models. He wipes the sweat from his brow, courtesy of the hot summer day. Without missing a beat, he knocks three times on the tall and intimidating doors. 

After a few seconds, it swings open to reveal Asami in her usual work clothes, though there’s an unusual frenzied look in her eyes. She breaks out into a grin as she sees him, “Bolin!” She exclaims, hugging him, “What brings you here?”

He grunts slightly at her force, but beams down at her, “I’m just here to return the blueprints you gave the Zaofu soldiers. They’re loving the changes you made.” He gestures at his own outfit excitedly, close to bouncing up and down with pure happiness, “Can you believe they let  _ me  _ try on one of the prototypes? This suit is awesome! I feel like I can defeat Kuvira’s giant robot thing ten times over in this.”

Asami giggles, “Let’s hope that isn’t in our foreseeable future. But, you look great.” There’s a beat, and then she waves him into the interior of the mansion, “Well, come on in if you want. It’d be nice to have some company right about now.”

Bolin nods, tucking the papers under his arm and walking in , “Why?” He asks, “Is work getting you down? You could just take a vacation. I mean, you’re the CEO, right? It’s not like anyone can stop you.” They head into the vast living room, sitting on opposite ends of a leather couch.

Shaking her head, she replies, “No, it’s not work. I actually already took a vacation with someone.” She pauses, casting a worried glance over to him. He’s not sure why she seems so out of it right now. 

“Really? With who?” He tilts his head, recalling there being a some days after Varrick and Zhu Li’s wedding where she had been MIA. Hmm, come to think of it, so was…

“Korra.” Asami’s voice interrupts his train of thought, “She asked me to join her and we spent a few days in the spirit world.” A slight tint of pink appears on her face, recalling the trip, “It was nice.”

“That’s great!” Bolin tells her, smile faltering when she doesn’t seem to share his sentiment. After years of friendship, he could tell when she wasn’t herself, and now was one of those times. He purses his lips, not wanting to claim outright how weird she was acting he settles on a simple, “Or...not so great? Is something wrong?”

She scoffs, and Bolin finally realizes there are tears starting to well up in her eyes, “No, nothing’s wrong.” She stops herself, rubbing at her eyes, “At least, there  _ shouldn’t _ be.”

Bolins’s expressions softens and he strives to speak as gently as possible, knowing that she didn’t need to tell him anything if she didn’t want to, “Well, if there is something wrong you can talk to good ‘ol Bolin about it.” He jokes, pointing his thumb to his face.

Asami laughs loudly and it makes him feel better to know she isn’t entirely sad in that moment, “Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?”

He shrugs nonchalantly, “Maybe. I’m just trying to help.”

“Trust me, your presence in general is very much appreciated. You’re a good friend, Bo.” She’s not on the verge of crying anymore, but the red rims around her eyes persist.

“Aw, come on, Asami. You know I’m gonna start getting emotional too.” He grins cheekily as she laughs once again. He leans in closer, not hesitating to prod further this time, “You can talk to me, you know?”

She deflates like the air’s been sucked out of her, “I know. It’s just…” She trails off.

“Just…?” Bolin repeats, hoping she finishes.

“I don’t know how to tell you this.” She admits quietly, leaving her words to hang heavily in the air between them and it almost breaks his heart at how solemn she sounds.

“ Don’t overthink it! I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think.”

“Okay.” Asami begins slowly, testing the waters, then quickly fires out the truth in a single sentence, “Korra and I are kind of dating now.” She retreats into the couch cushions, looking like she wishes it could swallow her up.

Bolin blinks once in shock, the words processing in his brain. His mouth is moving before he can think about what the right thing to say is other than, “Congrats! That’s awesome, Asami!” He raises his right hand for a high five, “You two  _ do  _ make a cute couple.” 

“No! It’s not awesome!”

He retracts his hand, furrowing his brows in confusion, “W-what?” 

She face palms, “I mean, yes, it  _ is  _ awesome, but it’s also not a super great thing for me right now.” She groans into her hands, frustration overwhelming her.

In that moment, he feels for her, knowing how annoying it can be when the correct words can’t seem to come out of his mouth, leaving him to look like a fool. 

He closes the gap between them, slinging an arm around her and she sinks into him without a second to lose. He rubs her shoulder soothingly, “Hey, it’s okay. Whatever you and Korra are going through will pass soon enough. You guys are the strongest people I know.”

“What about Mako?” She mumbles against his suit.

“Pssh, I’m sure you both could kick his ass if you really wanted to.” He clears his throat, squeezing her body against his own reassuringly, “But, seriously, I’m sure you guys will be okay.”

Asami sighs, leaning her head on his shoulder, “ You’re probably right. I’m just nervous of what to do on our first date out here, with the whole world looking at us.”

“What ideas do you have so far?”

“It has to be something grand and amazing, just like she is.” She separates from him, concern laced in her tone, “I have all this money and I have no idea what to do with it when she deserves only the best.”

Bolin feels a lightbulb go off in his head. He clasps his hands together loudly, catching her attention, “You’re going about this all wrong!”

“What do you mean?”

“I  _ mean  _ that your wealth and status is not what Korra fell in love with. It’s just  _ you _ . Not…” Bolin deepens his voice like the pro bending announcer, waving his hands around in an exaggerated manner, “Asami Sato, CEO of Future Industries!” He returns to speaking normally, “But, Asami Sato, her best friend who just happens to be incredibly badass and also rich, which is definitely a plus because you get invited to all the cool fancy parties and-” He stops himself from rambling too long, refocusing, “Anyways, she just wants you. The  _ real  _ you.” He finishes, resisting the urge to take a theatrical bow as he does.

Asami’s eyes are wide at his revelation. She obviously found it difficult herself to look past the identity that most of the world had given her, unlike those closest to her, including Korra. She stays quiet for a moment before speaking, “ I never thought about it that way. How’d you figure it out so quickly?”

“It’s exactly what I dealt with when I was first flirting with Opal. She said she didn’t like when I tried to be someone I’m not. Or, in your case, someone who’s overcompensating.” He strokes his chin, “Tell me, what do you think is the ideal  _ real  _ date for you two?”

Worrying her lower lip, Asami begins brainstorming, “Uh, I guess a nice, quiet dinner followed by whatever new mover is out right now and then, uh…” She doesn’t complete her thought, still thinking, “Oh! And then a stroll around the outside of Air Temple island, where we’d sneak onto the roof to look at the stars, pointing out all the constellations on a blanket.” 

Bolin can’t help the emotion that overwhelms him as he listens to how passionate Asami is about making the perfect date for Korra, so he wraps her in another hug, lifting her up high, “ You two might just be the cutest couple I know, next to Opal and I of course.” 

She giggles in the air, the smile not leaving as she’s placed on solid ground once again, “Somehow, you always know what to say. Seriously, Bo, thank you.”

He shrugs sheepishly, not used to the compliment, “I like helping people. That’s all.”

Before Asami can respond, a man comes in from the entrance to the living room, “Ms. Sato. The new Satomobiles are ready for the demonstrations tomorrow.” Then, as quick as he came, he exits the room with a curt nod.

Before Bolin can gush over her having butlers, Asami casts a sideways glance at him, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips, “What do you say we test them out on the tracks early?”

Bolin mimics her expression, playing with the signature curl on his forehead and straightening it out before answering with, “Do you even have to ask?.”

(And if a certain model of the Satomobile is a little more banged up than the others the next day, the potential investors present make no remarks of it to Asami, much to her relief.)

**Author's Note:**

> say it with me people: BROTP! BROTP! BROTP!


End file.
